Full-bore drill stem testing apparatus with surface pressure readout

Abstract

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, a full-bore drill stem testing system includes a lower housing member having a ball valve for opening and closing a flow passage extending axially therethrough and an upper housing member having an open axial bore in communication with said flow passage. Downwardly facing recesses are formed in the wall of the upper housing member laterally offset from the open bore, and each recess receives an electrical contact that is connected with transducer means for sensing variables such as pressure and temperature of well fluids below the ball valve. Guide slots having orienting surfaces at their lower ends lead upwardly to each recess. A running tool that is lowered into the upper housing member on electrical wireline has normally retracted arms which carry electrical contacts on their upper ends. The running tool is actuated upon engagement with a stop shoulder in the upper housing member to cause extension of the arms, whereupon the running tool is shifted upwardly to cause the upper ends of the arms and the contacts thereon to be oriented and guided by the slots into engagement with the contacts in the recesses. The electrical connections thus made enable surface readout of the downhole measurements as the drill stem test proceeds.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus adapted for use in well testing comprising: a tubular housing having an open bore therethrough;   a downwardly facing recess in the wall of said housing laterally offset from and opening into said open bore;   a first electrical contact mounted in said recess; and   guide means below said recess for guiding a second electrical contact carried by an associated running tool upwardly through said opening into said recess and into engagement with said first electrical contact.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said guide means includes an elongated channel extending vertically along the wall of said housing; and orienting means for causing said second electrical contact to enter the lower end of said channel during upward movement in said housing. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2 further including a stop mounted within said housing below said orienting means for enabling actuation of said associated running tool that carries said second electrical contact. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3 further including a transducer mounted in said housing, and a conductor extending along said housing externally of said open bore for electrically connecting said first electrical contact with said transducer, said transducer being adapted to sense a well fluid characteristic such as pressure or temperature and to provide an output indicative thereof. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus adapted for use in well testing comprising: upper and lower tubular housing members adapted for connection to a pipe string, said lower housing member having a flow passage and valve means for opening and closing said flow passage; said upper housing member having an open bore in communication with said flow passage;   diametrically opposed, downwardly opening recesses in the wall of said upper housing member laterally offset from and opening into said open bore;   a first electrical contact mounted in each of said recesses; and   guide means below each of said recesses for respectively guiding second electrical contacts carried by an associated running tool upwardly through said openings into said recesses and into engagement with said first electrical contacts.   
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said guide means includes elongated slots extending downwardly below each of said recesses, and orienting means for causing said second electrical contacts to respectively enter the lower ends of said slots during upward movement of said electrical contacts in said upper housing member. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 6 further including a stop mounted within said upper housing member below said orienting means for enabling actuation of said associated running tool that carries said second electrical contacts. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7 further including transducer means for sensing a characteristic of formation fluids in said flow passage below said valve means and providing an output indicative thereof, and a conductor for electrically connecting said transducer means with said first contacts, said conductor extending along said upper housing member externally of said open bore. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus adapted for use in making a releasable electrical connection in a well comprising: a tubular receiver having an open bore and a downwardly directed recess in the wall section thereof and opening into said open bore;   a first electrical contact mounted in said recess;   a guide extending longitudinally on the wall of said receiver below said recess and leading thereto;   a running tool assembly adapted to be lowered into said receiver and having an arm pivotally mounted for movement from an inner position to an outer position, said arm having a second electrical contact on the upper end thereof arranged to mate with said first electrical contact;   releasable means for locking said arm in said inner position while the running tool is being run into the well;   means for releasing said locking means to enable pivotal movement of said arm to said outer position in response to movement of said running tool in said receiver; and   means operable during upward movement of said running tool in said receiver for orienting said arm to enter said guide, whereby said second electrical contact can be moved into mating contact wilth said first electrical contact.   
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said orienting means comprises a sleeve member having helical surfaces on the lower end thereof arranged to provide an entrance to the lower end of said guide. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 10 further including a stop on the inner walls of said receiver below said orienting means, said stop being cooperable with a locator on said running tool assembly for enabling actuation of said releasing means. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said running tool assembly includes an inner body section telescopically disposed within an outer body section and movable between upper and lower positions with respect thereto, said arm being pivotally mounted on said outer body section. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said locking means is operable in said upper position of said inner body section and said releasing means is operable in said lower position of said inner body section. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said locking means comprises a member cooperable with an inclined surface on the lower end of said arm, spring means for biasing said member upwardly against said inclined surface when said inner body section is in said upper position, said member being movable downwardly with respect to said inclined surface when said inner body section is in said lower position. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said arm has an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being directed at an angle with respect to said lower portion such that in said outer position the longitudinal axis of said upper portion is parallel to the longitudinal axis of said running tool assembly. 
     
     
       16. An orienting apparatus comprising a sleeve member having diametrically opposed, longitudinally extending slots in the wall thereof; first guide means for guiding an arm of an associated well tool into one of said slots including first and second oppositely extending helical surfaces on the lower end of said sleeve member, said first surface being substantially longer than said second surface and extending below the lower end of said second surface; and second guide means for guiding an arm of an associated well tool into the other of said slots including third and fourth surfaces on the lower end of said sleeve, said third surface being an extension of one side wall of said other slot and said fourth surface being a helical surface sloping downwardly and away from said third surface. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim 16 further including longitudinally extending flow channels in the walls of said sleeve member intermediate said slots. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the lower ends of said second and fourth surfaces are joined by a rounded nose surface, the lowermost point of said rounded nose surface being located at an angle of less than 90° from a radial line that intersects the longitudinal centerline of said one slot. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein a beveled surface joins the respective lower ends of said first and third surfaces. 
     
     
       20. A running tool apparatus for use in making an electrical connection in a well comprising: an inner body section telescopically disposed with respect to an outer body section;   means for connecting said inner body section to an electrical cable by which the apparatus may be lowered into the well;   at least one arm pivotally connected to said outer body section in a manner such that the upper end thereof is movable from a retracted to an extended position;   a contact carried by said upper end of said arm;   means for urging pivotal rotation of said arm to said extended position;   means for preventing such pivotal rotation; and   means responsive to downward movement of said inner body section relative to said outer body section for disabling said preventing means to thereby enable movement of said arm to said extended position.   
     
     
       21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said arm has an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being inclined with respect to said lower portion at an angle such that when in said extended position the longitudinal axis of said upper portion is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said inner body section. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said arm has an extension on the lower end thereof that projects below the point of pivotal connection to said outer body section, said extension having a downwardly and outwardly inclined inner surface, said preventing means comprising a member movable relatively along said inner body section adjacent said extension and having an external surface engageable with said inclined inner surface. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said preventing means further includes a coil spring reacting between said inner body section and said member, whereby upward movement on said inner body section relative to said outer body section compresses said spring to force said external surface of said member against said inclined inner surface. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of claim 23 further including detent means for releasably holding said inner body section in an upper position relative to said outer body section and in a lower position relative to said outer body section to correspondingly compress said spring and prevent said pivotal rotation and relieve the compression in said spring to enable movement of said arm to said extended position. 
     
     
       25. The apparatus of claim 20 further including outwardly biased locator means on said outer body section for stopping downward movement of said apparatus at a predetermined location in a well conduit. 
     
     
       26. Well test apparatus providing for surface readout during testing of a measured downhole condition, comprising: a tubular member having a full bore fluid passage therethrough and adapted for connection above a full opening test valve in a pipe string that extends from an isolated interval to the surface of the well;   a first electrical contact exposed to said bore and located annularly thereof on said tubular member and in a nonobstructive position with respect thereto;   means for sensing a well condition below said valve;   means for establishing electrical connection between said sensing means and said first contact;   a running tool adapted to be lowered into said pipe string from the surface on an electrical cable;   a second electrical contact located annularly on said tool and serving to provide electrical connection to said cable;   means for locating and latching said running tool within said tubular member; and   means operable when said tool is located in said tubular member for causing said second contact to mate electrically with said first contact, whereby electricalsignals indicative of said well condition can be transmitted to the surface via said cable.